I just got a 7.3 diesel coming from a gas Nissan Titan with big tow capacity and lowered gears and idk why I ever owned a gasser! The fuel economy is way better even in a larger vehicle and it pulls my a22 like a freight train. I got about 12-14 mpg in the Titan hwy and maybe 19-22 in my super duty. I seriously sometimes forget the boat is back there when towing. If u are looking at a newer ford I would steer completely away from a 6.0 and would take a hard look at a 6.4 the 6.7 new engine I have heard great things about but none of the diesels have been reliable as the 7.3 which can easily get a half a million miles with care (reason I bought one). If you are wanting a newer looking truck then I would strongly educate yourself on what you are getting into as all this emissions garbage on these new diesels have created a lot more problems, although the motors after the 7.3s are monsters and they seem to be figuring it out a little better each motor. I looked for almost a year for a cherry 7.3 and found one with only 80k miles, they are actually getting rare and expensive if in good condition. Can you feel my excitement through the post? Haha yea I love having a diesel and feel there are tons of pros other than the amazing towing capability. I see no real advantage to the 150 with economist over a diesel as fuel consumption will be pretty similar although per gallon price will be higher.

The ecoboost will out tow all gassers right now and still get decent mileage. Dont be fooled the Ecoboost is not going to blow your mind in gas mileage, it's better but nothing amazing. With trucks you really need to be honest with yourself and determine what you really need. If you use it for commuting or live in a city with tight parking then ecoboost all day long. If you are towing anything bigger than a 22ft boat then diesel is nice to have. Please remember the trade offs that a lot of this new diesel eco friendly technology is "newer" and is not 100% smoothed out yet. Also, any repairs to a diesel is significantly more than a gasser, however from what ive heard the ecoboost motor is damn near the same price as a diesel and the things that can go wrong is probababy similar to a diesel because of the turbo set up, you wont have the same EGR issues as a diesel.

I will tell you this, the new frames, brakes, suspension, steering, and lastly power is amazing in these new diesels. I say power last because where I notice the big improvement with my 2013 durmax over my 2001 7.3 and 07 6.0 is the way the truck handles. The 6.0 dually i coudl still feel the 24 ft boat I have and braking in urgent situations could be sketchy sometimes, with the duramax I have 110% confidence in it's abilities. I only got a diesel 3500 dually is because I haul a 17k pound horse trailer empty and if you've ever hauled animals the dually gives you a little extra piece of mind.

Also whats fun about diesels is modding them. It's pretty cool to slap a tuner exhaust and intake on a truck and gain over 200hp only spending a little over 1,000 dollars. The motors will usually last you many more miles than a gasser as well and are designed to be under heavy load so if u do a lot of long distance towing it isn't going to be such a strain on the motor.

I just drove 280 miles round trip in My Megacab 2500. Averaged 21.75mpg. Hand calculated, GPS calibrated speedo. I towed 850 miles round trip to Powell this summer. Total elevation change was from 1100 feet to 7000 feet. At 65mph I got 15.2 mpg round trip average. I have a 23LSV.

2006 Megacab Cummins 5.9L 4x4. It's like the boat is not even there. I go up the steep grades as fast I want. When loaded with the cabover and boat I can still go 60 up some serious grade with no issue. Total weight is 19,000 including truck. Just filled up from 2 weeks of city driving and the big biotch got 17. Oh and it will smoke most cars on the road when I put my foot in it. Runs a 14.4 second 1/4mile. Not bad for 8000 pounds.

I used my 2001 Tundra with the 4.7 to tow a 22' travel trailer to San Diego. Climbing the Mountains on Interstate 8 is vividly remember going 45mph with the foot to the floor in 2nd gear. I averaged 6MPG that trip. Within a month I had bought a Duramax. 2001 4x4. Added a econobox tuner and made the same drive 3 months later and averaged 13. Bonus, the Duramax went up the same mountains at 70.

While I think the Ecoboost is a great option for people that don't tow heavy, far, or up steep grades. I will never own a gasser again. My 99 Tacoma was only good for 18 city and best ever 21HWY. And that truck is tiny.

Buy what works for you. Diesel is $.60 a gallon more expensive than 87 in my parts so I'm sure the numbers are close in the cash dept. but when I pass people with my cabover and boat in tow going up the steep grades leaving the mountain lakes. I just look back and think about that shameful 45mph drive in that Tundra.

Thanks for all the replies. I LOVE the newer look of the diesels. The dream is to have a diesel but im not sure if I want all of the maintenance? What are you diesel guys doing on a monthly basis for the upkeep?

Diesel requires more maintenance? I bought my 2005 duramax brand new, have about 160k miles on it and have only had to replace the water pump. Thing has been bullet proof without much maintenance IMO. No more than any other car. I originally bought it as I purchased a fifth wheel, then realized my truck then would have some issues. Still running great, but I am at a crossroad. I DO NOT need a new truck as this thing is still awesome, but I WANT a new truck as this is the longest I've ever owned a vehicle. I won't go back to a gasser, especially with the new ones, there's no point to go back. They're now quieter, cleaner, and you can pretty much tow anything without worry.

Try truck trader as well. I saw an ad (just looking) had a 2012 duramax with 16k miles, loaded, for 40k. I missed the deal as it had sold. It was at a Honda dealer, but sometimes you can get a good deal that way. Someone already took the big hit, the other dealer where the car was traded in at needs to move it.

I hav a 05 duramax with 190,000 miles on it and it too has been bullet proof. i change the oil and filter once a year with amsoil (good for 24,000 mile or once a year) i change the fuel filter once a year and the spin on allison filter once a year. i would say my maintenance over a gasser is maybe $20 more per year.

How are you using the truck on a daily basis? How much towing will you be doing? Go drive an F150 ecoboost and a new F250 diesel back-to-back and drive them around like you would be every day. Go to a grocery store, try a drive-thru window, etc and really see how you like them. Basically do "extended" test drives of both vehicles. That's my recommendation.

I have an 08 F-250 (6.4) with 172K on it and it seems to get the job done. IMO the interior on the ford is a lot larger than other trucks. I will say if your looking for raw power than go with the Duramax or cummins. I am pulling a EPIC21V with my truck and you cant even tell its back there. I also average 14-16 MPG towing depending on how I drive. This is after installing around 1500 worth of aftermarket parts to free to motor up. I have pulled with all the big 3 and can say that the duramax pulls better but the ford is a way better ride if you are making longer trips. You cant really go wrong with any diesel, they are all going to pull a 21-24 foot boat with no problem. I would just check with my dealership to see what deals they have going. I stole my truck because the price of diesel fuel skyrocketed and they were off loading them. I have heard a lot about the eco boost but have yet to drive/tow with one.

I have a VLX but dont really drive a truck much at all. Its pretty much a weekend vehicle since I commute. It would be towing and hauling whatever needed to be hauled (house projects and stuff). I like the look of the diesel but don't necessarily need one. I have always wanted one so I would prefer that. My issue with the Fords are that the interior didnt change all the way up to 2007. Ive had a 98 expedition since 98 and would want something different.

Honestly, just go drive the trucks and see which one suits your needs better. If you aren't driving it that much, maybe take an F250 with the V10 for a spin. You get the bigger truck and the gasser F250's are a lot cheaper. Something to consider.

I have a 2005 Dodge 2500 diesel with 130k miles on it and have never had to do anything but a brake job and replaced the batteries (knock on wood). I have a small chip, straight pipe exhaust, and get about 21 MPG not pulling a boat. It pulls anything I hookup to great. I am unsure as to what year model you are looking at but when you start getting into the newer models some require exhaust fluid and have a lot of exhaust restrictions (among many other expensive items).

For used trucks, there are lots of good deals if you know what to look for. Probably the best deal is on a 6.0l Ford due to all of the talk of problems. If you know what to look for, you can get one that requires no work for a very reasonable price. If it has a problem and you know what needs fixing, it can be a steal of a deal. The reality is there have been some problems with all brands, mostly dependant on how you maintain and operate them. Even though most boats don't need a diesel to pull them, with a tuner on the unit, you can usually out run most cars on the road.

I am probably in the minority here because 3/4 of wakeworld thinks you need a 3/4 ton diesel pickup to tow a 5000 pound boat but I see no reason why you "need" a diesel. Get a diesel pickup because you "want" one and because they are bad arse.

Had an 07 5.9 cummins averaged 14 in town and 21 highway unloaded. Pulled the boat effortlessly.

Have a 13 Hemi Ram with MDS. Average 14 in town and 23 highway unloaded. Pulls the boat well and maintains speed on hills. (far from effortlessly but not struggling).

35k for the 07 in 07. 26k for the Hemi a couple months ago. For my income they are the only reasonably priced trucks. If price didn't matter it would be Ford diesel all the way.......but I'm really pleased with my new Ram.

Weaker, less fortunate trucker here..... I was in this position just over a year ago and ended up going with an 08 Sierra 2500HD with the 6.0 Gasser. As much as I wanted a Diesel, I ended up going with a gas for many reasons. I know how to work on them and have a hard time justifying the extra cost of a diesel. To be honest though, when I am towing the boat,, there are times i wish I had more power. In a stiff headwind or uphill grade the truck will regularly downshift to keep up. My mpg is pretty much 12.5 whether towing or not as I drive everywhere like I stole it. If regular fuel prices ever rise to be the same or more than Diesel you can bet I would look into trading up.

I just bout a 13 2500HD 6.0 gasser, I tow a jeep and my boat quite often. I did the math and the break even point for the diesel vs gas truck based on on fuel costs/savings ect was roughly 150,000 miles. I wont' have the truck that long. You can buy a lot of gas for the cost difference. Do the math. However i did by a 3/4 ton truck, its hard to beat when towing heavy, its not needed for 90% of the wakeboats out there but it does make a difference in handling and feel. This is all my opinion, ymmv. dh

I guess I'm weaker and "less fortunate" because I chose a gasser this time. Better all around mileage, cheaper to fill, and plenty of power......except for the 20 miles I pull the boat. Not worth the extra 10-15k IMO. Are they great? Yes. Is it a must have for a wake boat? Absolutely not.

Fun factor goes to the diesel hands down by adding a chip, but that seems to be getting harder with all the emissions being stacked on.

Just changed (4) trucks in my fleet for 2014 Dodge 2500 Diesels. Averaging around 20 mpg without towing, about 15-17 towing. We tow lots of trailers, tow haulers, boats, and they pull great. Much quieter and better riding than my 2006 dodge. I think my duramax pulled harder, but this truck is smoother. We got them with most options for around $36K. Also they are much bigger inside than my duramax was. I was all prepared to get the new duramax, but with the same body lines and very few changes, I was not ready to spend $50K for the same truck I had just new. The Dodge gives me a ton of cool options built in for a lot less money.

Jeff, It would help to know what your requirements are. Price range etc...

I bought mine in Oregon. I paid cash. No sales tax. They actually sent me an Oregon title. I'm in Az. Obviously if you get one private party you don't need to worry about sales tax unless you live in WA state.

I've got an '06 Duramax 6.6L LBZ with 170,000 hard miles on it, owned since new, no major problems (replaced u-joints, regular fluid maintenance). It's tuned w/ exhaust and intake. I love it and will retire it as a ranch truck as soon as I persuade pops to hand down his '11 Duramax and upgrade.

After towing with an ecoboost there is no way I'd go back to a gasser (non-turbo) as the low end torque is amazing. I also didn't want to pay 20+% more for fuel, higher maint costs and DEF for a diesel because i don't put enough miles on it to make it back.

So for me, an ecoboost was a great choice (it's more BOOST than ECO however - lifetime mileage in my truck is about 14.8 MPG).

Not sure what area of Cali you are in but a quick search brought up some good ones (only searched for Dodge). I wouldn't worry much about miles since you said it will be a weekend driver/ boat hauler. Also, the 5.9 Cummins is a great motor and does not have all the emissions crap. If 4x4 is not an issue for you there are even more deals to be has on 2WDs.

The maintenance cost are not higher. This always comes from guys that do not own a diesel. It just is not true. Diesels hold there value. Any up front cost will be recovered on resale. If the truck has over 150k on it it will be worth lots more than the same gas truck. My 05' duramax gets 16 mixed driving diesel is $3.79.
3.79 / 16 = $0.236 per mile. My buddy has the same truck with 6.0 gets 11/3.25/11=$0.295 per mile. I drive 17000 a year. 17000x.06=$1020 per year. When I tow my 6500lb boat at 72mph I get 15mpg he towed my boat and got 6. You can do the math on that.

not to hijack but i'm in norcal looking for an 08 or newer dmax and having a hard time finding one too. I'm picky though.. has to be white, ltz, 4x4 and trying to be around 35k but can go higher. Just missed one that fit the bill for 34k last week. If anyone has leads or wants to sell let me know!

Well being it's a 97 model somewhere along the road the bumper key/tow hook was removed from the tow kit in the trunk. So being I was already wet and in the ditch I decided to go ahead and tie the chain to the spare tire that is secured with 1/4" all-tread washer and bolt. Pulled the car out just fine. Screwed my lock mechanism up but then again, its a 97. Thanks for pulling me out Brett. Could of been a lot worse than just stuck in a ditch!

I have had a 2006 Duramax, and a 2013 Duramax. My 06 i had tunner, exhaust, intake, and other mods, and it would lite the tires at hwy speeds, but the stock 2013 out pulls it all day long, and doesnt ride like a wagon. If you can afford it go with a Duramax and never look back. You dont know what your missing.

I thought I would show what I just pick up this Thursday. I bought a 7.5 Chevy duramax because my supra 24v was just to big for my 2003 1500. I really didn't feel safe pulling it in traffic. That said I haven't had the new truck long enough to hook it up to the boat let but just from power alone I don't think ill ever go back.

I was all prepared to get the new duramax, but with the same body lines and very few changes, I was not ready to spend $50K for the same truck I had just new. The Dodge gives me a ton of cool options built in for a lot less money.

Uhhh, they haven't released the new 2500/3500 trucks yet. It is still the old body style. Only the 1500 trucks were updated; the 2500/3500 will be an early 2015 model year released, so of course it was the same truck as your older one. They just recently released the Denali package on the GMC's and the 6.2L motor.

Uhhh, they haven't released the new 2500/3500 trucks yet. It is still the old body style. Only the 1500 trucks were updated; the 2500/3500 will be an early 2015 model year released, so of course it was the same truck as your older one. They just recently released the Denali package on the GMC's and the 6.2L motor.

They've released pics of the 2015 HD's with new body style, and they'll be available for purchase in a few months.

I had a 2007 dodge 2500 w/ 5.9 cummins. It was a bad ass truck. Put a programmer on it and intake/exhaust and the power was awesome. Could pull anything and really fun to drive because of the power. When loaded or towing the ride was great. Unloaded or not towing and it would beat you. Very firm stiff suspension. This of course is by design. I loved the truck and hated to get rid of it. It was a no joke truck. Would 4 wheel through anything. However the maintenance cost was by far much more expensive then a gas truck. This is a real thing to consider. Plus the purchase price of a diesel will normally be 8k-10k more expensive. In 2012 I sold the diesel for a hemi 1500. Had to sell due to allowance and age restriction at work. I wanted a new diesel but the extra expense at purchase and maintenance steered me to the 1500. The hemi is a great truck also. Much better daily driver. Much more comfortable ride. Power is solid. Maintenance has been way cheaper. Now when it comes to hauling or towing I miss the diesel every time. The ideal setup in my opinion is to have a gas 1500 for a daily driver and light duty work. Then have an older diesel for real work and for towing the boat. Unfortunately I can only afford and have the room for one truck. The gas hemi pulls the boat fine and is a better truck for my needs now.

For all those that say maintenance is not more expensive on a diesel I do not agree. Brakes last half as long. An oil change is much more expensive. Tires are replaced at 40,000 and not 65k. The cost of all parts and wear items is more expensive. This is real world from experience and for me absolutely true.

Guaranteed that bumper has an air-dam effect. The last of the low hanging fruit for fuel economy is reducing the coefficient of drag on these beasts.

The thing can hardly drive over a curb haha! I get what you are saying, but just let me nit pick it, come on man i gotta btich about something!

unfortunately the main cause of drag on these puppies is the blunt tail, everything else they do to reduce the drag is futile in comparison to the contribution of the drag due to the blunt tail... Think about the shape of a trout.... looks pretty similar to an airfoil huh next thing we know superdutys and 2500's are gonna start looking like trouts and tuna

#1: Those new GMs are so ugly that even their own mother would disown them....

#2: Get a Cummins and don't look back, it'll out pull the duramax all day long. Sure it doesn't ride as smooth, but it's a heavy duty truck FFS. It's designed to pull ridiculously heavy loads. I pulled my Tige RZ4 with my 2012 3500 MegaCab 4x4 from South Ft. Worth to Hot Springs,AR this past summer and actually forgot the boat was back there and still got 13-14 mpgs running 75-80 on the interstate and shagging ass through the backroads of the Ozarks. I would however recommend staying away from the 2013-current models since they have the new DEF systems and are a pain/expensive to remove. I can drop about $2000 into my motor with a programmer, full exhaust/DPF delete, and EGR delete and get over 20 mpgs. Just haven't done it yet since I spent all my toy money on the boat this past season.

Not taking anything away form your Dodge love FastE3DN3K, but if you do some research the Dodge will come in last every time compared to the Fords, and Chevys. But any of these trucks are up for the task, and we all have our favorites for different reasons.

That's straight off the Ram website, that's not a base model either, but a Laramie. And likely more expensive than what the 2015 Sierra Denali 2500 Duramax will MSRP for as well.

While I will admit that the minor tweaks they made to the newer model Dodges aren't my favorite, I will say that it is still a far better looking truck than the GMs, especially the Chevys. It's like GM saw all the stupid emo kids who wear the thick frame glasses and said "I think they've got a great idea...let's do that to our truck...". As for cost, I actually looked at a 2500 Chevy that wasn't nearly as equipped as my 3500 Dodge, but was somehow $2000 more MSRP, and the dealer refused to even attempt to beat the deal that Dodge was going to give me. The equivalent 3500 Chevy that they had was just a hair over $12,000 more than my loaded Dodge. I've had a ton of diesels (a 1996 7.3, 2003 6.0, and 2011 6.7 powerstroke, 2005 6.6 Duramax, and 1990 5.9 12v and 2013 6.7 Cummins), and while I admit that the new 6.7 Cummins isn't as proven yet as the 5.9 and 7.3, I'm am really impressed and will never go back to a Ford, and especially a Chevy. If you really think that those other 2 are so much better, I challenge you to go down to your local state fair, major rodeo, or hot shot trucking company and see just how many of each make are out there. I'd guarantee that most of them will be Dodges, because people who actually use their truck for more than just a "fashion statement" know that the Cummins is a far superior platform.

...I'm am really impressed and will never go back to a Ford, and especially a Chevy. If you really think that those other 2 are so much better, I challenge you to go down to your local state fair, major rodeo, or hot shot trucking company and see just how many of each make are out there. I'd guarantee that most of them will be Dodges, because people who actually use their truck for more than just a "fashion statement" know that the Cummins is a far superior platform.

To each his own, but tests and numbers don't lie. Since you have a 2012 Ram this comparison test can be considered relevant. The Duramax and Allison out perform in nearly every test, where is the Ram ended up last. Just be cause a bunch ranchers have Rams where you live, doesn't mean that it's a more capable truck (I'm not saying "best", because that is subjective to each persons needs).

Like you, I tow my G23 (probably about 1500 pounds more than the RZ4 when you factor in the weight of the boat, 20 gallon bigger gas tank, and beefier trailer) behind my Duramax all summer long, and cannot even tell it's back there.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Ram is a bad truck. I just want to tell the story from different perspective, and include some factual numbers and tests as support.

To each his own, but tests and numbers don't lie. Since you have a 2012 Ram this comparison test can be considered relevant. The Duramax and Allison out perform in nearly every test, where is the Ram ended up last. Just be cause a bunch ranchers have Rams where you live, doesn't mean that it's a more capable truck (I'm not saying "best", because that is subjective to each persons needs).

Like you, I tow my G23 (probably about 1500 pounds more than the RZ4 when you factor in the weight of the boat, 20 gallon bigger gas tank, and beefier trailer) behind my Duramax all summer long, and cannot even tell it's back there.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Ram is a bad truck. I just want to tell the story from different perspective, and include some factual numbers and tests as support.

If you actually look at the numbers you'll see that there isn't one "dominant" manufacturer sweeping all the categories. 90% of all the other tests out there end up falling victim to the writer's opinion and will usually lead to a biased decision. Drag racing diesels is stupid since that's not what they're designed for, and no matter what the Dodge will always lose in a drag race. There's no way that an inline 6 with a bigger bore and longer stroke will ever be able to turn the RPMs as quickly as the V8s, but the Cummins will always make way more power on the bottom end than the PS or the DM can ever hope to make. It's just the way they're designed. And if you go and look at the towing numbers, they're so close that none of us will be able to tell a difference with the boats we're towing...hell, we could tow 3 of our boats at the same time and still pull fine. The number that stands out the most to me in that list is the massive difference in the 5th wheel towing capacity...that Dodge owns by more than 5,000 lbs over the nearest competitor. This goes back to my previous statement about "people who use their trucks for more than just a fashion statement". People who make a living using their trucks to their max capability (i.e.- ranchers, hotshot drivers, farmers, etc) will pick a Dodge most frequently. The OP can pick whatever he wants and it'll be more than enough to tow any boat in this forum, but when it comes to capability, fit/finish, and price vs. features, the Dodge takes the cake in my book....but to each his own.

Sorry, my "tests and numbers" statement was misleading. I didn't mean to suggest I was referring to the hp/torque/towing capacity numbers. I was meaning the number results for the tests performed. Regardless, all of these trucks are great and I wouldn't mind owning anyone of them.

Ryan is spot on. I am not brand loyal but went with the dodge because you get more truck for the $$$$$. Ford and Chevy could not even come close on price. And in my opinion the dodge is a better looking truck

Picked up this 08 a couple days ago. Personally I like the looks of the gm trucks better than any other manufacturer. My buddy has a dodge and that 5.9 cummins is hard to beat. The tranny is another story though.